By Stephe Raven

The Unbearable Weight of Being Nicolas Cage

To say that Nicolas Cage is a deep actor may be a stretch. I mean, he has actually won a few awards. To say that he is a versatile actor would be closer to the truth. Don’t get me wrong, he has made some great movies (“Raising Arizona” will always be one of my favs!). He is definitely an actor not afraid to take a chance on a role, and more importantly, to be able to laugh at himself. Being an actor who is known for his quirky characters, he really does know how to let us laugh along him on any crazy ride.

That being said, when you sit down to watch “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” you have no idea what you are in for, but I have to tell you, it’s a ride worth hanging on to. Cage plays a loose version of himself as a down-on-his -uck actor looking for that next film that will showcase his talent. 

His agent (a nice cameo of Neil Patrick Harris) gets him a gig being himself for a rich super fan, the job paying him a cool million just to appear at this guy’s birthday party and even reading a script that the guy wrote himself just for, yep you guessed it, Nic Cage. 

The fan is played quite charmingly by Pedro Pascal. He is such a fan that he has his own Nicolas Cage museum, which goes off the deep end but has to be experienced to see what an avid junkie he is. 

The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal Photo Credit: Karen Ballard/Lionsgate

They seem to be in such a sweet bromance that your teeth start to hurt and you are waiting for a big smooch…no but seriously, they seem to find this perfect comedic timing together and you want them to be best buds.

The antics with these two were fun to watch for sure.It doesn’t seem like it will work, but as the plot moves along it just does. You seriously think it’s a total cheese fest, but it works!

All that gets ruined for you when the CIA (hello Tiffany Haddish, you sure are busy this year!) decide they need need help taking down Nic’s new bestie, who appears to be an arms dealer. Every time you think it can’t get any more unbelievable, it does…but not in a bad way. 

Hilarity and LSD take us down the rabbit hole and actually all makes for a silly, but fun movie. And let me tell you, there are so many Nic Cage Easter eggs, you may have to see the movie a few times to catch them all!  Not gonna win any awards here, but it was a lot of fun seeing on the big screen. 

We all need some Nicolas Cage to get us out of the leftover pandemic fog we have been in. Go have some fun and get those laugh muscles back in shape!

Pedro Pascal as Javi and Nicolas Cage as Nic Cage in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Photo Credit: Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is a 2022 comedy-action film directed by Tom Gormican and starring Nicolas Cage, Nicolas Kim Coppola, Pedro Pascal, Neil Patrick Harris, Tiffany Haddish, Ike Barinholtz, Lily Sheen and Sharon Horgan. It runs 1 hour and 47 minutes and is rated R for language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and violence. It opens in theaters on April 22.

By Lynn Venhaus
The “Me Too” and “Time’s Up” movements gain allies at an Oregon high school, where the girl students discover their voices and power in unity in the sharply observed “Moxie.”

What is Moxie? It means “force of character, determination or nature,” according to the Oxford dictionary. This coming-of-age cause, based on a 2017 young adult novel by Jennifer Mathieu, grows in influence and energy.

An introverted 16-year-old girl discovers how the female student body is objectified and dismissed, and how pervasive the toxic masculinity is at her school. Fortified by her mother’s rebellious spirit during her youthful Riot Grrrl days, she anonymously publishes a zine, “Moxie!” that inspires the girls to band together and work towards changing the status quo.

Directed by Amy Poehler with a keen sense of Generation Z and its conflicts, this movie gets a lot right, particularly its target message.

The screenplay by Dylan Meyer and Tamara Chestna astutely points out that people aren’t perfect, it’s OK to mess up, be unsure and confused, but at least come away with purpose. The examples of casual sexism and double standards are spot-on as the sisterhood discovers the importance of feminism.

This engaging ensemble – subtly inclusive — portray refreshingly authentic characters.  The mother-and-daughter dynamic between Amy Poehler and Hadley Robinson is the key relationship.  As Vivian’s working single mom, Lisa guides her daughter in raging against the patriarchy but also as a steady strong parental presence.

Among the appealing cast of rising stars, Robinson shines as the shy Vivian, who summons a righteous anger to lead a revolution. Her dorky character’s growth is fun to watch as she develops new friendships and falls in love with once-geeky classmate Seth, who is kind and considerate. She will stumble and figure out how to be a force for good.

Newcomer Robinson, a Juilliard grad, was both the Laurey dancer in “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” as well as one of the Tulsey Town girls, and Sallie Gardiner Moffat, one of Meg March’s friends, in Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women.”

The dream boyfriend is in the mold of Edward Cullen and other post-Twilight gallant guys, who are attentive to the girl’s needs and feelings. Nico Hiraga is a winning presence as the skateboarding dude who gained confidence after a summer growth spurt.

Each teen character has interesting layers, except for the clear villain, Mitchell Wilson, the popular but insufferable sexist quarterback who has gotten away with bullying because of his Big Man on Campus status. He is played with cocky assurance by Patrick Schwarzenegger, son of Arnold and Maria Shriver. It is a one-note character that’s too obvious.

But the rest of the fired-up girl squad engages with charm and personality. As transfer student Lucy, who stands up for herself and reports harassment, Alycia Pascual-Pena excels, as does Lauren Tsai as mild-mannered Claudia, who carves her own path.

Sydney Park and Anjelica Washington are noteworthy as female athletes whose winning soccer team is largely ignored and in the shadow of the losing football team.

There are a few wobbly parts, and a climactic revelation adds darker drama in a too-neatly wrapped up final act.

And while it is more amiable than laugh-out-loud funny, “Moxie” distinguishes itself as cut-above the usual teen comedy. It is not your mom’s call to action, nor is it a fist-pump for only one generation — — and it brings up worthy elements to add to the current conversation.

“Moxie” is a teen comedy and romance directed by Amy Poehler, who also stars, along with Hadley Robinson, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Alycia Pascual-Pena, Marcia Gay Harden, Nico Hiraga, Ike Barinholtz and Lauren Tsai. The movie is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, strong language and sexual material, and some teen drinking and run time is 1 hour, 51 minutes. Lynn’s Grade: B. Available to stream on Netflix.